Double pointer telemeter indicator



B. H. PARKER DOULE POINTER TELEMETE INDICATOR Filed July 29, 1959 Aug.26, 1941.

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DOUBLE POINTER TELEMEIER INDICATOR Y H. Parker, Lynn, Mass., assigner toGeneral Electric Jompany, a corporation of New York Application July 29,1939, Serial No. 282,350

4 claims. (ci. 177-327) My invention relates to indicating instrumentsand mounting arrangements therefor.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved, compact, sturdymulti-unit instru- -ment -assembly and lowl frictionV movable elementmounting arrangement in which Aseparate pointers may cooperate withvacommon scale, in which the parts may be readily disassembled forinspection and repair with a minimum of manual operations and withoutinterference with electrical connections or dangenof disturbance ofmechanical adjustments.

Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form I provide apair ofcoaxial indicating instrument units mounted base to base or one abovethe other with the shaft of one unit extending through a hollow rotorand a hollow shaft of thev other unit, and having pointers mounted atthe ends of the through shaft and the hollow shaft, respectively. Thehollow rotor unit is provided with Vcone type ball bearings and theother unit is provided with jewel bearings, one of which is at the farend of the unit, and the other of which is supported within or by thehollow shaft of the hollow rotor unit.` The two units are removablysecured together, and the mounting arrangement for the hollow shaft unitis such that the movable elements of both units may be removed as a unitfor the purpose of inspection by unfastening and lifting the scale plateand cover of the instrument.

'I'he invention will be understood more readily from the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, and those features of the invention which are believed to benovel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto.In the drawing Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of myinvention havend of the jewel screw 2I.

ing a portion thereof removed to expose the v movable portion of theapparatus and show alongitudinal vertical section of the stationaryportion of the apparatus. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe entire apparatus of Figure 1. Like reference characters are utilizedthroughout the drawing to designate like parts.

Although my invention is applicable. to use with multi-unit indicatingand deflecting instruments of numerous different types, for the sake ofillustration I have shown in the drawing an embodiment of my inventionforming a double uni-t, double pointer indicator or receiver for adirect-current type of telemetric indicating system. The instrumentillustrated consists of a pair of units II and I2 mounted one againstthe other on a partition strip or wall I3 secured in aninstrument'casng, not shown. The units- II and i2 may,'of course,be-mounted one in front of the other with a common horizontal axis orone above the other with a common vertical axis, or. if desired, mayhave an inclined axis, but for convenience I shall refer to the unit I Ias the upper unit and the unit i2 as the lower unit the terms upper and1ower, and above and "be1ow being used in the description and claims todesignatemerely the relative positons of parts and being intended toinclude equivalent relative positions regardless of the actual directionof the axis of the instrument. v

The lower unit I2 comprises a supporting '15 frame I4 (Fig. 2.)including a `substantially circular base I5, above, with posts Ilextending downwardly. A stationary field member may be secured to theframe Il, consisting of a laminated ring core I1 carrying a plurality ofcurrent-conducting coils Il, a damping c'ylinder I9, coaxial with thebase I5 and the field core I1. secured to the base I 5 within thevilldcore i1 and a magnetic rotor 20 rotatably mounted coaxially withtheremainder of the instrument, within the damping cup I9 in inductiverelation to the field core I1. The lower unit I2 is provided with allower bearing consisting of a jewel screw 2l screwed into a centralopening in a plate 22 fastened to the posts It. To assist Y insecuring'the damping cylinder I9 to the base I5 la dished spring washer23 may be provided between the top surface of the plate 22 and the lowerend of the cylinder I 9. Y

'Ihe-A lower bearing is of the -jewel type'consistlng of a ring' jewel24 and a flat ,disk jewel 25 mounted in a suitable cavity inthe upper Aswill b e vwell understood by those skilled in the art, the ring jewel 24consists of a disk of a suitable naturalv or artificial sapphire,` witha hole a side thrust bearing. Preferably, the central hole iscounterbored to providea minimum of friction surface in the side thrustbearing. 'I'he end thrust bearing or step bearing consists merely of atop surface of the jewel 25which may be of the samecomposition as thejewel 24 and against which the lower tip 26 of the rotor shaft 21 ispermitted to rest. It will be undersemi-precious stone, such yas stoodthat the tip 25 is preferably rounded to form a spherical pivot. As willbe explained hereinafterthe unit I2 is providedl also with an upperbearing, mounted within the shaft of the upper unit, which has a hollowshaft.. The shaft 21 for the lower unit, to which the rotor 2l isconnected, extends upward through and beyond the upper unit and itshollow shaft.

The upper unit Il is also provided with a supporting frame 28 having abase 29 below and upwardly extending posts 30, a laminated bored thereintoserve as ring core 3| carrying current-conducting coils 32, and amagnetic rotor 33, all similar to the corresponding parts of the lowerunit |2. The

upper unit is provided likewise with a dampingcompass. To cooperate withthe scales I3 and 80, pointers 8| and 82 are provided. 'I'he pointer 8|controlled by the lower unit is mounted at the upper end of the shaft21, and the pointer 82 controlled by the upper unit is mounted at theupper end of the hollow shaft 38 on the reduced diameter portion 53 ofthe upper stub shaft 40.

The mounting and assembling arrangement is not limited to telemetricreceivers or indicators 10 but is equally applicable tocurrent-responsive tened by means of screws 31. Through bolts 38 may beprovided extending through the posts I8 of the lower'unit |2 into thebase 28 of the upper unit for the purpose of securing thev supportingframes of both'units to the supporting 'wall 3 and securing the lowerplate 22 to the posts I8.

The upper unit is provided with a hollow shaft for supporting its hollowrotor 33 in order that the shaft 21 of the lower unit may project at theupper end of the instrument. The hollow shaft 38 for the upper unit iscomposite being in the form of a number of parts assembled together andhas stub shafts 40 and 4| at the upper and lower ends, respectively,with conical portions 42 'and 43. Cooperating with the conical portions42 and `43 to form cone bearings for the'upper unit, two ball bearings44 and 48 are provided, one of which includes a ball race secured in thetop plate 38, and the other of which includes the ball race secured inthe bottom of the damping cup 34.

The hollow shaft 33 consists also of a hollow spindle 48 having an upperportion41 of greater diameter than the central opening in the rotor 33,and having a lower portion 48 of such a di ameter as to t closely withinthe central opening in the rotor 33 and extend downwardly beyondit. The,lower stub shaft 4| includes an upper portion 48 with an internal boreof such ldiameter as to receive and t closelyv the lower projecting end48 of the hollow spindle 48. 'I'he lower portion l80 of the stub shaft43 is of decreased diameter and extends through the ball bearing 48 withthe conical portion 4| resting against the ball bearing so that bothside thrust and end thrust are taken up. For securing the upper stubshaft 40 to the hollow spindle 48 a coupling sleeve 8| is provided whichhas an inner bore of such diameter as to receive and fit closely theportion 41 of the hollow spindle 48 and a measuring instruments, forexample, permanent magnet instruments of the type described in UnitedStates Patent 2,102,409 to Faus. The telemetric indicator instrumentsshown, which do not in themselves constitute a part of my in- 29assigned to the same assignee as the present vention, may be of the typeshown, for example, in the copending applications of Harold T. Faus,Serial No. 253,368, illed January 28, 1939 and Serial No. 238,851, filedNovember 4, 1938, Patent No. 2,181,803, grantedA November 28, 1939, and

application. The rotors 20 and 33 are transversely magnetized permanentmagnets composed of a mixture such as powdered magnetite, ferrie oxideand cobaltic oxide in the proportions oi 43.6 parts magnetite, 30.1parts ferrie oxide, and 26.3 parts cobaltic oxide, molded in shape underpressure of from three to five tons per square inch, subjected to heattreatment and 30 magnetized while hot, as described more in detail inthe foregoing applications. The damping cylinders I9 and 34 are composedof lany suitable current conducting material, such as copper oraluminum, for example. The laminated ileld cores |1 and 3| arepreferably composed of relatively permeable low-hysteresis material,such as a nickel-iron alloy containing approximately ISI/2% nickel. Thecurrent conducting coils |8 and 32 are spaced around the periphery ofthe ileld cores |1 and 3|, the arrangement shown having angular spacingsof 120 degrees. The

connections and the arrangement of the telemeter transmitter, not shown,are such as to produce Iopposing currents in the coils |8 and 32 which4;, set up magnetic fluxes in the cores |1 and 3| 59 the' rotor to aposition with .its poles in line with larger diameter 'portion 52 of thestub shaft 40;l

The stub shaft 40 is also provided with a smaller-'- external-diameterportion 53 at the upper .end whichextends through the ball bearing 44.'

To provide an upper bearing for the through shaft 21 of the lower unit|2 a ring Jewel 85 is set in the connecting coupling 5| between themembers 52 and 41, and a collarl 56 is secured to the shaft 21 justbelow the ring jewel 58. 'I'he ring jewel 55 may be similar in shape andcomposition to the ring jewel 24 .of the lower jewel bearing and theinner surface of said bore serves as a side thrust bearing, whereas thelower surface together with the collar 58 serves as an e'nd thrustbearing -for the rotor of the lower unit.

It will be understood that the collar 88 is sufflciently small in outerdiameter tol leave clearance space 51 within the hollow spindle 48.

A scale plate 58 is secured in any suitable manner'to. the top plate 38of .the instrument and is marked with suitable concentric scales for thetwo umts, in this caseflthe. outer scale 53 lwith numerical markingsAand the inner scale'v 80 with suitable markings to indicate the, pointsofthe 'the diametric flux. As explained' more in detail inthe foregoingapplications, the telemeter ar- .rangement is such as to vary thecurrent distribution in the stator coils and cause the angular 55direction of the diametric fluxes to vary in correspondence with thevariations in indications to be transmitted, thus causing rotation ofthe rotors 20 and 33 and the pointers 6| and 62. These features,however, ,need not be described GO in detail since they are not myinvention.

It will be apparent' that the movable element of the lower unit isprovided with a very low friction rotatable support by virtue of the'jewel bearings which have hard smooth surfaces, and

in view of the extreme lightness of the rotatable element, consistingonly of the pointer 8|, the shaft 2:1 and the rotor 20, which is verylight by virtue of its composition. Similarly the rotatable element, ofthe upper unit Il, while carrying slightly more. weight, is'providedwith an exing systems are particularly suitable, it is desirable andlegally required that the instruments be' disassembled at periodicintervals for inspection of the bearings. This operation can beperformed very readily in my construction. The removal of the movableelements on their mountings' may be accomplished very quickly byloosening the two screws 31 and lifting the top plate 36 away from thestationary elements. The upper damping cup 35, being secured to the topplate 36, is removed as a unit with the plate 36 and carries the entirerotatable structure since the hollow shaft of the upper unit issupported within the cup 34, and the shaft 21 of the lower unit and therotor 20 are supported within the hollowl shaft-of the upper unit. Thisoperation does not necessitate removal of the field cores Il and 3l orthe field coils I8 and 32,' so that it becomes unnecessary to interferewith the electrical connections of the apparatus. Likewise, it isunnecessary to disturb the mechanical adjustments of a hollow shaft forsaid rotor extending therethrough provided `*with conical portions atthe ends thereof and portions of diminished diameter beyond the conicalportions, said portions of diminished diameter extending through saidball bearings whereby cone-type ball bearings are formed to take up bothside thrust and endA thrust, said hollow shaft having mountedtherewithin a ring jewel with an internal bore of such diameter as tovform a sidethrustbearing for the through shaft of the rst mentionedrotor, said through shaft having a collar secured thereto adjacent saidring jewel to form an end thrust bearing, the shaft of the first rotorextending beyond the end of the hollow shaft, and each of said shaftshaving a pointer mounted at the end thereof.

the jewel screw, ball bearings, or any other part of the apparatus. Iffurther disassembly and inspection is desired, this could also bereadily accomplished merely by pushing the pointers oft' the ends oftheir shafts, loosening the screws, not shown, securing the flange 35 tothe plate 36, and dropping the cup 34, for examination of the ballbearings I4 and 45. It will be apparent also that,

in the original process of manufacture, the assembly of the parts can becarried out readily since the various groups of parts are self-supportedas units of increasing size as the process of construction proceeds.

In accordance with the .provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together. with theapparatus which I now -consider to represent the best embodimentthereof, but I desire to have it under- -stood that the apparatus shownis only illustraof one of said elements, a fixed bearing in axialalignment with saidl previously mentioned bearings and a bearing mountedwithin said rst mentioned movable element also in axial alignment 4. V Adouble unit indicating instrument comprising a pair of coaxial unitsmounted one above the other having separate pointers cooperating with acommon scale plate, the lower unit comprising a supporting frameincluding a base above y a stationary ileld member, a damping cylinder,a

with the previously mentioned bearings. and journals carried by thesecond of said movable elements cooperating with said last mentioned twobearings. A

2. A double unit shaft mounting arrangement comprising a hollow shaftincluding a hollow spindle, a rotatable element carried by the hollowshaft, stub shafts formed to receive the projecting ends of said hollowspindle'having end portions of reduced diameter and intermediateportions of tapering diameter, said hollow shaft having mountedtherewithin a ring jewel tolserve as a bearing for a shaft extendingthrough the hollow shaft and having ball bearings cooperating with thestub-shaft ends of the hollow shaft to form cone bearings.

3. In a double unit indicating instrument, a pair of coaxial rotors, oneof which is hollow, a shaft on which the other rotor is mounted, saidshaft extendingl through the rst mentioned rotor, a jewell bearing forone of said rotors adiacent the end thereof receiving the end of itsshaft, ball bearings for the other of said rotors,

magnetic rotor, a lower bearing including a ring jewel and a stepbearing jewel, a through shaft to which said rotor issecured, the lowerend of which cooperates with said lower bearing, said upper unitcomprising a stationary frame including a base below removably securedto the base of the lower unit, a stationary ileld member, a damping cup,a magnetic rotor, upper and lower ball bearings, a composite hollowshaft for rotat ably supporting the rotor of the upper unit, said hollowshaft comprising a hollow spindle with an upper portion of greaterexternal diameter than the lower portion, and with a lower portion ofgreater axial length than the rotor of the upper unit closely ttingtherein to support the rotor, a lower hollow stub shaft having such aninner diameter as to fit closely over the lower projecting end of saidhollow spindle for supporting it, the external diameter of the upperportion of the stub shaft being greater than the external diameter ofthe lower portion of the stub shaft, and the intermediate portion havinga conical outer surface to form with said lower ball bearing acombination end and side thrust bearing, a coupling sleeve having alower portion closely fitting around the upper end of said hollowspindle and coupling sleeve between the upper end of said hollow spindleand the lower end of said upper stub shaft whereby a side thrust bearingis formed for the throughshaft of said lower unit, said through shaftextending upwardly beyond the end of said upper hollow stub shaft, saidthrough shaft having the collar secured thereto below said lastmentioned ring jewel to form an end thrust bearing, the pointer for saidupper A unit being secured to the upper end of said upper hollow stubshaft and the pointer of said lower unit being secured to the end of thethrough shaft of the lower unit.

BENJAMIN H. PARKER.

